Machine for vending articles stocked in a plurality of chutes



y 15, 1940- L. STEINER 2,207,902

MACHINE FOR VENDING ARTICLES STOCKED IN A PLURALITY OF C'HUTES Filed July 29, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet l z'o.Z

137 102 79 as MI I57 lNVENTO A 00/5 STf/NE/P ATTO R N EY y 15, L. STEINER 2,207,902

MACHINE FOR VENDING ARTICLES STOCKED IN A PLURALITY OF CHUTES Filed July 29, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR LOU/5 STEM/El? ATTORNEY July 16, 1940. sTElNER 2,207,902

MACHINE FOR VENDING ARTICLES STOCKED IN A PLURALITY OF CHUTES Filed July 29, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 116 INVENTOR LOU/5 5 TE/NEP Patented 16, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFHIE.

2,207,902 MACHINE roe VENDING ARTICLES STOCKED IN A CHUTES PLURALITY OF Louis Steiner, New York, N. Y.

Application July 29, 1933, Serial No. 221,927

7 Claims.

nism for controlling the dispensing of articles from said chutes.

An object of this invention is to provide a machine of the character described, from which articles may be dispensed by insertion into the coin chutes of the machine, different amounts of money, whereby articles in some of the chutes may be vended at one price and articles in other chutes at another price, while employing a gle coin mechanism, the construction being such that any of the chutes may be arranged to vend articles either at one price or the other.

A further object of this invention is to provide a neat, compact, rugged and durable device of the character described, which shall be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, smooth and positive in operation, easy to adjust and which shall yet be practical and efficient to a high degree in use.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the fea turcs of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplifled in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is shown one of the various possible illustrative embodiments of this invention,

Fig. l is a front, elevational View of part of a vending machine embodying the invention, and

showing the coin regulated mechanism before any draw bar is pulled;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. l, with the coin controlled levers removed;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3, with one of the draw-bars pulled forwardly;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged, detailed view of the mechanism for permitting articles in some of the chutes to be vended at one coin less than other chutes (fifteen cents); Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. l but showing the position of the coin regulated means when a dime and nickel are inserted and a-draw bar is pulled to dispense a fifteen cent package; and v Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 but showing the levers in still another position, when four "outer casing not shown, within which is mounted nickels are inserted into the machine and a draw bar pulled to dispense a twenty cent package.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, 10 designates a vending machine embodying the invention. The vending machine comprises an a box H having a bottom wall l2, side walls it, a rear wall 14. On said bottom wall I2 is a curved wall It extending upwardly to the rear wall it and forming a dispensing chamber i9.

At the front of box H is a front wall llhaving an opening l8 at the bottom, communicating with the dispensing chamber H3 at the bottom of the box. Fixed within the box II is a member having a horizontal wall 21 extending from the front wall ll rearwardly. Extending downwardly from wall 2| is a wall 22, parallel to the rear wall Hi, and extending from wall 22 is a forwardly and downwardly inclined wall 2%. Extending upwardly from wall 24 is a'wall 2 5, aligned with the front wall H and formed with a plurality of parallel, spaced openings 25, for the purpose hereinafter appearing. Mounted on wall 2! is a row of vertical aligned chutes '28 in which packages 21 of cigarettes or other articles to be vended are stacked.

Means is provided to dispense the packages 21 from the chutes 265 into chamber it. To this end, wall 21 of member 28 is formed with a plurality of parallel slots 30 aligned with the slots 25. Slidably mounted on wall 2 are a plural-ity of parallel draw bars 3! passing through the openings and projecting fromv the front of the machine. The lower edge of each draw bar Si is slidably received within a slot At the rear end of each draw bar is a downwardly projecting thickened hook portion 33, contacting the underside of wall 2|. The rear end of each draw bar is also formed with a widened portion 34, con-- tacting the upper side of plate ZLand normally disposed within the lower end of one of the chutes. When any draw bar 3! is drawn forwardly, a package of cigarettes within said chute and resting on the widened portion 34 .of :the bar, will drop downwardly onto the wall .2 l. 5

The rear walls of the chutes are formed with cut-outs, so that when the bar 31 is again moved rearwardly, in the manner hereinafter explained, it will push the lowermost package through the cut-out, onto the curved wall I5, into the dis-- pensing chamber I9.

Means is provided for returning the draw :bar to its rearward position after the bar has been pulled forwardly. To this end, there is fixed to the inner side of side walls l3of box III, reinforcing plates 31. Plates 3'! and side Walls 63 are formed with aligned registering openings 38, in which are journalled the outer ends of a transverse horizontal shaft 39. At one side of the box, contacting walls l3 and 3? are formed with registering arcuate slots 40 having centers of curvature at the axis of shaft 39,

Fixed to the shaft 39 adjacent the inner sides of the walls I 3 and 31, are arms ll carrying at the outer ends a transverse horizontal rod :32. Fixed to one of the arms M is a horizontal stud shaft 43, projecting through the slots fill. 1

Mounted on the shaft 39 are a pair of spaced torsion springs 45, each having an arm 45 contacting the inner side of front wall 51, and a second arm ll, contacting the rod 2. The hook portions 33 of the draw bars 311 are adapted to engage the rod 42. When any draw bar is pulled forwardly, the rod 42 will also be pulled forwardly to tension the springs 45, the latter serving to return the draw bar and the rod $2 to their normal rearward position when the draw bar is released.

To prevent access to the lower ends of the chutes through the chamber I9, when the draw bar is pulled forwardly, there is pivoted to the side walls l3, a transverse shaft 53 carrying a plate 5!, and connected by links 52 to the stud shaft 43. When a draw bar is pulled forwardly, the links 52 swing the plate 55 downwardly to cover the cut-outs at the lower ends of the chutes 26.

Means is provided to prevent more than one draw bar at a time from being pulled forwardly. To this end, there is pivoted to the underside of wall 2!, as by a vertical pivot pin 55, a horizontal plate 55 contacting the underside of wall 24 and disposed between each pair of adjacent draw bars. The forward ends of the plates 56 may be supported by lips 57, punched downwardly from the wall 2! to form openings 58 above the locking plates. The total clearance between all of the locking plates 55 is suficient to permit only one draw bar to be pulled forwardly. When a bar is drawn forwardly, the portion 33 thereof moves between the looking plates on opposite sides thereof, causing the locking plates to move into contact so as to prevent any other draw bar from being pulled forwardly, until the first draw bar is released.

Means is provided to vend articles in the chutes 26 at two different prices while employing a single coin controlled mechanism for controlling the draw bars 3|. For the purpose of illustration, the drawings disclose mechanism to permit the packages in the first two chutes 26 to be vended upon insertion of a dime and a nickel into the machine, and the articles in the last three chutes to be vended upon insertion of either a dime and two nickels or four nickels into the machine, whereby the machine will vend 15 packages of cigarettes as well as 20 packages of cigarettes.

To this end, there is fixed to the outer side of one of the side walls l3 of the box, a vertical plate 60, formed on the outer faces thereof with an L-shaped groove 62, in which is slidably mounted a slide plate 63 held within said groove by a pair of vertical, spaced, front and rear plates 64, 64a, screwed to the plate 60 as by screws 65,

Plate 60 is formed with a horizontal slot 66, and walls It and 3'! are formed with horizontal registering slots 68, aligned with said slots 68. Fixed to the plate 83 andprojecting through slots 66 and 63 into chamber 19 is a stud shaft 69. Said shaft 69 is connected by a link Hi to the adjacent arm 4|.

It will now be understood that upon drawing any of the draw bars forwardly, the slide member 63 will be caused to slidably move forwardlywithin its groove 62. Slide plate 63 is formed, adjacent the rear end thereof, with a horizontal slot 12 having a widened portion 13 at the front a forming a shoulder or ledge M. At the forward end of slide plate 63 are horizontal slots I5 and it formed with widened downwardly extending portions 17 and 18, respectively, forming ledges l9 and 80. Slide plate 63 is furthermore formed with a vertical central coin slot 82, below the horizontal slot 72, and with a coin slot 83 aligned with said first slot and disposed above the slot 72.

Fixed to the plate 65 and aligned therewith is a vertical upwardly extending plate 85. Plate 85 is formed with a slot 85, registering with and extending upwardly from the slot 83. The slot 86 extends to the front of the machine where a coin, such as a dime, may be inserted, which will drop down through the slots 86 and 83 into the slot 82.

Slide plate 63 is furthermore formed with a vertical central coin slot Elli, extending downward- 1y from the slot portion l5 and with a slot 9! aligned with slot 99 and extending between the plate 64 normally pulls the bar forwardly. Said bar covers the lower ends of the slots 82 and 90. When the bar is pushed rearwardly, Whatever coins which are in the slots an or 99, 9!, 92, drop down through the return chutes I31 to the dispensing chamber H9. The bar I35 may be pushed when the purchaser desires to have the coins returned if he has not already pulled a draw bar to get a package of cigarettes.

As shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, a coin inserted into the slot 86 will drop onto bar I35 and will project into the widened portion '13 of slot 72 and cover the ledge M so as to be substantially tangent to the lower edge of the rear portion of slot 12. a

A coin placed in coin chute 93 will drop to slot 99 onto bar I35 and will project into the widened portion H of slot and cover the ledge l9, so as to be substantially tangent to the rear portion of slot '55. If a second coin is inserted into the slot 93, it will drop to the slot Si so as to rest on the first coin, and in such position, project into widened portion '58 of slot E6, to cover ledge and be substantially tangent to the bottom edge of the rear portion of slot 76.

Pivoted at the forward end thereof to the plate 64, as on pivot Hill, is a lever lEll having a horizontal projection or tab W2, projecting into the widened or forward portion 13 of the slot 12. A coil tension spring Hi4 interconnects the lever H]! with the plate 64a to keep the tab I02 in horizontal alignment with the shoulder '14. Lever It]! may be-formed with a slot I 05; and a headed screw "36 screwed to plate 64a and passing through said slot, serves to guide the lever for pivotal movement about the pin I00.

" Pivoted to the plate 64a, as at H0, and disposed above and in the plane of lever I is a lever H2, formed with a slot H3 receiving a headed guide screw screwed to plate '64. Lever H2 is provided with a tab or projection H5 extending into the lower widened portion 11 of the slot I5, normally being held at the level of the shoulder I9 by a coil tension spring H6, interconnecting the free end of lever H2 with the fulcrumed end of lever IOI.

Pivoted to the plate 64a, as at I I9, and disposed in the plane of the levers IM and H2, is a third lever I20, formed with a slot I2I receiving a headed screw I22, screwed to the plate 64. Lever I is formed with a tab I projecting into the widened portion I8 of the slot I6, and normally held at the level of the shoulder 80 by a coil tension spring I26 interconnecting the outer end of said lever with the screw H4.

There is also pivoted to the plate 64a, as at I2I, a fourth lever I28, formed with a slot I29 to receive a headed screw I30, screwed to the plate 64. The lever I 28 is formed with a horizontal tab I33 disposed above the upper edge of the plate 63 and in alignment with the projections H5 and I25 of the levers H2 and I20.

It will be noted that the verticaldistance between the upper edge of bar I35 and the projection I02 on the lever IN, is less than the vertical distance between the upper edge of said bar and the projection I00 on the lever H2, the reason being that the chute 86 and the slots 82, 83 are for dimes, whereas the chute 93 and the slots 90, 9I, 92 are for nickels.

When a dime is inserted into the chute 86, it drops to the bottom of the slot 82 and covers the shoulder I4, so that upon pulling a draw bar forwardly, the upward portion of the coin serves as a ramp engaging the projection I02 to lift the lever I M above the shoulder I4.

When a nickel is inserted into the chute 93, it drops to the bottom of the slot 90 to cover the shoulder I9 and serves as a ramp engaging the projection I I5 of the lever II 2, for lifting said lever when a draw baris pulled forwardly. A second nickel dropped in the chute 93 drops to the bottom of slot 9I to rest on the first nickel, and when a draw bar is pulled forwardly, the second nickel engages the projection I25 to serve as a ramp for lifting the lever I20,

It will now be understood that when a dime and two nickels are inserted into the machine, levers IOI, H2 and I20 are lifted when a draw bar is pulled to permit the draw bar tobe pulled, for dispensing'a package of cigarettes. The machine will operate when four nickels are inserted into the chute 93. The first two nickels will serve to lift the levers H2 and I20. The third nickel rests on the second nickel and merely serves as a spacer for the fourth nickel, which rests on top of the third nickel. The fourth nickel serves as a ramp to lift the fourth lever I28. The lever I20 is interconnected to the lever IN by link I40. When the lever I28 is lifted therefore, the lever IOI is also lifted to move the projection I02 above the shoulder I4. Thus, when four nickels are inserted into the chute 93, a draw bar may be pulled forwardly as the projections I02, H5 and I25 will be raised to clear the shoulders I4, I9

' and '80.

When a draw bar is pulled forwardly, the coins are moved to the right until they are aligned with the chutes I 4| leading to a coin box, and hence drop into the coin box.

Any suitable means (not shown) may be provided to prevent the slide 135 from moving back to its normal position, until a draw bar has been pulled forwardly sufliciently for the coins to drop into the coin box.

Means (not shown) may also be provided for preventing the slide from returning to normal position after a draw bar has been pulled forwardly, unless the drawbar has been pulled forwardly sufficiently for the coins to drop through the coin chutes 'I3I to the coin box.

It will now be understood that the mechanism described above permits packages to be dispensed from the chutes upon insertion of 20, either in the form of a dime and two nickels, or four nickels. It is often desirable'to stock some of the chutes 26 with 15 packages of cigarettes. Means is therefore provided to permit packages from any of the chutes to be dispensed for'15, that is, by insertion of only one'dime and one nickel into the machine.

To this end, there is fixed to the outer end of thelever I20, a vertical plate I50,-having a rearward projection I5I.

Attached to the locking plate 56, at the right of each of the chutes containing the 15 cigarettes, and extending through openings 58 in wall'2'l, is an upstanding member I55, carrying at its upper end a horizontal pin I 56, supporting a pair of spaced, parallel washers I5I, separated by a collar I58 received on said pin. In the drawings, the first two chutes :26 are shownfor the purpose of illustration, to contain the 15 packages of cigarettes, and hence, two of the locking plates at the right of the first two chutes are provided with upstanding members I55.

Slidably mounted on the pins I 56, and disposed between the Washers I5I, is a cross-piece I60 having longitudinal slots I6I to receive said pins. The cross-piece I60 extends to one end of the machine, as at I62. Pivoted to the end I62 of member I60, is a lever I63. The lever I63 is pivoted, as at I64, to the plate 60, and is provided with a toe I65 engaged beneath the projection I5I of the plate I50.

It will be noted that the pins I58 are normally at the right ends of the slots I6I. When any of the draw bars, other than the first two bars, are pulled forwardly, all of the locking plates on to the left, thus moving the pins I58 to the left within the slots I6I without affecting member I60. A dime and two nickels 'or four nickels must be inserted into the machine to operate any of the draw-bars, except the first two.

When only one nickel and one dime are inserted into the machine, and one of the first two draw bars are drawn, the dime serves to lift the lever I0 I and the nickel serves to lift the lever I I2. Upon drawing one of the first two draw bars forwardly, either one or both of the locking plates at the right of the first twodraw bars will be swung to the right, tolift the toe I65 to'raise member I50, and hence lift the lever I20, for bringing the tab or projection I25 thereof above the shoulder 80. Thus, the shoulders I4, I9 and 80 of the slide plate are cleared to permit a package to be dispensed from either of the first two chutes, upon insertion into the machine of a dime and nickel.

It will now be understood that the machine may be arranged to permit packages from any rettes, an upstanding member I-and extending 75 1 theicross-pi'ece I68 to the pin- 156 on said upstanding member.

1 Although this invention has been described in relation to a 15 and 20 dispensing device, it will be understood that anyother coins may be inserted for'th'e dime and nickels described herein. .Furthermore, packages other than cigarettes may be dispensed'with the improved machine.

It, will 'be further understood that the machine described herein may be converted to sell only 15 cigarettes. This maybe done by omitting the top lever I28, interconnecting the'link I40 to the lever I20, instead of to the lever I28, and providing a tab on the lever I20 above the tab i251 to be engaged by a third nickel, whereby the cigarettes may be dispensed either by insertion of a dime and a nickel or three nickels into the machine. Such a construction is disclosed in my Patent No. 28, issued June 15, 1937. The 15 machine such as disclosed in my said patent may be converted to permit one or more of-the chutes to dispense 10 packages upon insertion into the machine of a dime. only, by attaching the member I50 to the second lever from the bottom (lever H2 in this application) and fixing to the locking plates on the right of each of the 10 chutes, a member I55 cooperating with a cross-member I60 and pivoted lifting lever I63.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. In a vending machine, a plurality of reciprocable draw bars for dispensing articles from chutes, coin controlled means to lock said draw bars against movement, said means including a movable member, means for moving said member upon pulling'any of the draw bars, a plurality of locking members engaging said movable member to hold the same against movement, and hence prevent any draw bar from being pulled, means to move said locking members out of locking position relative to said movable member, upon insertion of a plurality of coins into the machine, and pulling any of the draw bars forwardly to permit said movable member to be moved, and means operatively connected to a group of one or more of said draw-bars, to move one of said locking members out of locking position, whereby to permit said movable member to be moved upon pulling one of said group of draw bars, after insertion into the machine of said plurality of coins, less one coin, necessary to move said one of said locking member.

2.. In a vending machine, a support, a plate slidably mounted thereon and formed with a shoulder, a lever pivoted to said support and having a projection aligned with said shoulder to prevent movement of said slide plate in one direction, said plate having means to receive a coin adapted to cover said shoulder and serve as a ramp engaging said projection to pivotally move the lever and lift said projection over said shoulder as the plate is slidably moved, to permit movement of said slide plate in said direction,

a member adapted to Q F articles outof a chute, means; interconnecting" said member with said slide plate to move saidslide plate in said direction when said coin is within said receiving means, a second member adapted to move articles out of another chute, and means operatively connected with said second member to move said lever to bring said projection out of alignment with said shoulder whereby to permit said slide plate to be moved, upon moving said second member, without said coin being within said receiving means. 7

3. In a vending machine, a draw bar adapted to be pulled forwardly by the purchaser, a mem-.

ber movably mounted on said machine, a .transverse rod within said machine connected to'said movable member and adapted to move the same back and forth, means on said draw bars teengage said rod and pull the same forwardly when any of said bars are pulled forwardly, for moving said movably mounted member forwardly, spring means engaging said rod to move the same rearwardly after a draw bar has been pulled for-, wardly and released, to move said movably mounted member rearwardly said movably mounted member being formed with a shoulder, means adapted to engage said shoulder to prevent forward movement .of said movably mounted member, and hence preventing any draw bar from being pulled,,means to receive a coin in said machine, in such positionas to cover said shoulder, whereby to move said means out of alignment with respect to said shoulder when a draw bar is pulled forwardly, and means controlled by one or more of said draw bars to move said means out of alignment, relative to said shoulder when any of said one or more draw bars are pulled forwardly, even when said coin is not within said receiving means.

4. In a vending machine, aplurality of draw bars parallel to each other, means to prevent more than one draw bar at a time from being pulled forwardly, said means comprising locking plates pivoted to the machine and interposed between said draw bars, each of said draw bars having a portion adapted to move between a pair of adjacent locking plates on opposite sides thereof, when said draw bar is-pulled forwardly, a slide plate mounted on said machine and adapted to move forwardly and rearwardly, means to move said sliding plate forwardly, when any draw bar is pulled forwardly,'a lever pivoted to said machine and having a portion engaging a portion of said slide plate, to prevent said slide plate frombeing-moved forwardly, 'said lever being adapted to be lifted by a coin inserted into the machine to bring said portion thereof out of engagement with respect to said slide plate to permit a draw bar to be moved forwardly, and means connected with one or more of said'locking plates adapted to move said lever out of engagement with respect to said slide plate when any'of certain of said draw bars are pulled forwardly.

5. In a vending machine, a plurality of draw bars parallel to one another, a plurality of locking plates between said draw bars, to prevent more than one draw bar at a time from being pulled forwardly, a slide plate on said machine, means to pull said slide .plate forwardly when any draw bar is pulled forwardly, said slide plate having a shoulder, a lever pivoted to said machine andv having a portion aligned with said shoulder, a member attached to oneof said locking plates, and means 'on said member for rotating said lever when. said locking plate is moved in one direction, upon drawing. one of said draw 7 bars forwardly, to bring said projection out of alignment with said shoulder and permit said slideplate to be moved forwardly by said draw bar.

6. In a vending machine, a plurality of draw bars parallel to one another, a plurality of looking plates between said draw bars to prevent more than one draw bar at a time from being pulled forwardly, a slide plate on said machine, means for pulling said slide plate forwardly when any draw bar is pulled forwardly, said slide plate having a. shoulder, a lever pivoted to said machine and having a portion aligned with said shoulder to prevent movement of said slide plate, and hence to prevent any draw bar from being pulled forwardly, said slide plate being provided with means to receive a coin, and said lever being adapted to be lifted by a coin within said coin receiving means to bring said portion thereof out of engagement with respect to the shoulder on the slide plate, to permit a draw bar to be moved forwardly, a member fixed to one of the locking plates and extending upwardly therefrom, a transverse member mounted on said upstanding member and having a lost motion connection therewith, a member pivoted to said machine and to said last member and having a projecting finger, and a member attached to said lever and having a projection disposed above said finger,

whereby when a draw bar on one side of said locking plate is pulled forwardly, it will not move the transverse member, and a coin will be required to be deposited into said coin receiving means to permit said draw bar to be pulled forwardly, and whereby when a draw bar on the other side of said locking member is pulled forwardly, it will move the locking member and also the transverse member to cause pivotal movement of the member pivoted to the machine and to the transverse member, thereby causing the finger to lift the member which is connected to the lever for lifting the lever and permitting said last mentioned draw bar to be pulled forwardly without deposit of a coin in said coin receiving means.

7. In a vending machine, a plurality of parallel draw bars adapted to eject articles from chutes, locking plates between said draw bars to prevent more than one draw bar from being pulled forward at a time, a slide plate slidably mounted on the machine, means for sliding the slide plate forwardly when any draw bar is pulled forwardly, a shoulder on said slide plate, a lever pivoted to the machine, means on said lever to engage the shoulder of said slide plate to prevent the slide plate from being drawn forwardly, said slide plate being formed with coin receiving means, said lever being adapted to be lifted to release said slide plate by a coin within said coin receiving means, a transverse member having a pin and slot connection with one or more of the locking plates, and means connected to said transverse member to lift said lever when said transverse member is moved by the locking plates having a pin and slot connection therewith.

LOUIS STEIN'ER. 

